GGG ammunition offers both excellent performance and exceptional value; pricing per round will be around 78 pence for competition / retail sale compared to 99 pence from the previous supplier. The NRA has decided to invest the resulting savings to reduce TR entry fees for the Imperial meeting by 9.5% in real terms and increase youth discounts to 40% for all competitors aged under 25.

The previous supplier, RUAG Ammotec UK (the British division of Swiss aerospace and defence conglomerate RUAG), supplied top grade ammunition at an eyewateringly high price which, in recent months, broke the £1/rd barrier at the NRA range office. RUAG’s most recent annual earnings statement, issued earlier in March, discloses that the company’s Ammotec division increased its profits by 6 million Swiss francs (£4.19m) during financial year 2014; the overall group’s profits were up by 7.5% year-on-year.

Performance data for the new GGG NRA round (which is CIP compliant) from the Birmingham Proof House’s test rig, which uses a 24″ barrel, are:

Max Average Working Pressure 3598 Bar

CIP conditions mean velocity 2822 ft/sec

Velocity SD 13.3

The NRA’s own trials using 30″-barrelled target rifles “with typical TR internal dimensions” produced the following figures:

Velocity 2979 ft/sec

Velocity SD 11.7

Extreme spread as a proportion of v-bull size: 0.66

The round is assembled from GGG’s own cases – which the Birmingham Proof House uses in their proof loads – and primers, powder sourced by GGG and is topped with the 155gr Sierra MatchKing HPBT 2155 bullet.

SMK 2155s, according to Sierra’s website, have a ballistic coefficient of .450 @ 2600 fps and above, .443 between 2600 and 1800 fps and .417 @ 1800 fps and below.

The NRA’s own technical notes on the new ammunition can be found here. GGG’s website is located here, though readers should note that the page for 7.62mm NATO ammunition is the 147gr bullet and information for the 155gr round doesn’t appear to be available.

UKSN’s author has shot the 147gr round in short range practice (up to 600yds) and was happy with it, for what that’s worth.

WARNING: TECHNICAL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS PRESENTED FOR INFORMATION ONLY. DO NOT TREAT IT AS AUTHORITATIVE. USE PUBLISHED LOAD DATA FROM A REPUTABLE COMPANY IF ASSEMBLING AMMUNITION TO REPRODUCE THESE CHARACTERISTICS. UKSN CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY USE OF INFORMATION PRESENTED HEREIN.